By Tunde Akanni
Incontrovertibly one of the most intellectually engaging historians of our time, Professor Abdul Gafar Siyan Oyeweso, manifests by the day in several discourses on account of his selfless services. I had just been part of a radio programme on Friday, January 8, 2021 when one of the promoters of the online broadcaster, Spirit of Nigeria, Dotun Atilade, called me.
In rounding off his appreciation to me he reminded me that most people from my birthplace of Ede, Osun State, are selfless. Thus began quite a sweet recall of a most ubiquitous example in the person of our darling Siyan Oyeweso. That Prof will go far, very far, even as he is already one of the most accomplished living historians in Nigeria today. Can you imagine somebody willfully turning down legitimately deserved remuneration, choosing a path of honour in the form of personal sacrifice in a series of activities he used his clout to drive to a resounding success? A friend of Abioye Oyewusi, son of late Oba Tijani Oyewusi, the immediate past Timi of Ede, Dotun, had been part of the setting up of the foundation in honour of our late monarch. According to him the process suddenly gained acceleration immediately Professor Oyeweso got involved. He, it was who spoke to big donors like SOB Babalola father of Lanre Babalola, former Minister of Power. Within a short space of time, right within Ede community, some humongous amount of money was raised on account of his intervention and personal solicitations. It’s sure that he will ultimately be celebrated too. Dotun was just being obvious.